Legislative & Licensing Update: September 28, 2022
License Application Deadlines in Alabama, Virgin Islands & Nevada
Plus cannabis license awards in and November 2022 ballot initiatives across the U.S., expungement clinics in New Jersey, and advocacy efforts aimed at the federal level. Hear more from our own Sumer Thomas, Director of Regulatory Affairs.
States & Other Jurisdictions with Active Cannabis License Applications
Alabama’s deadline for requesting license application forms for medical cultivation, processing, dispensing, and vertical facilities runs until October 17. The full application will be sent out to requesters on October 24, and the application is due on December 30.
New York’s conditional retail (CAURD) license applications were due September 26 and payment must be postmarked by September 30. Regulators revealed that they received 903 CAURD applications.
The NY Cannabis Control Board held its first in-person meeting in New York City on Tuesday, during which regulators approved rules that will allow the state’s medical cannabis patients to grow their own medicine starting in October and approved additional conditional licensees.
New Jersey held a meeting on September 9 and awarded additional license winners as well as more denials for cure.
Florida announced the long-awaited vertical medical license winner in the Pigford category. The application for additional vertical non-Pigford licenses is expected to be released in the near future and be similar in requirements to the Pigford application.
Nevada will accept applications for a consumption lounge lottery from October 14 to October 27. There will be 65 total approvals: 45 for current retailers, 10 to new social equity operators, and 10 to new operators generally.
In the Virgin Islands, applications for cultivation licenses will be available starting October. 3, followed by research and development licenses on October 26, manufacturing licenses December 5, and dispensary licenses on December 27. The applications for each license type will remain open a month from their start date.
On Thursday, Connecticut selected six retailers and two micro cultivators (the max allowed) from the general lottery to move forward with the next steps in the licensure process. Additionally, CT is reopening the license application process for social equity applicants for 10 days
Guam regulators issued the territory’s first recreational marijuana business license approvals.
Cannabis on the Ballot for November 2022
Five states are set for the ballot in 2022 and all of them are adult-use initiatives: Arkansas, Maryland, Missouri, North Dakota, South Dakota.
In Arkansas, their state constitutional amendment almost didn’t make it this year, but last week, the Arkansas Supreme Court ruled that votes will be counted and overturned the Board of Election Commissioner’s ruling that the ballot title was misleading.
The Oklahoma Supreme Court unanimously denied a marijuana legalization campaign’s request to force state officials to place their initiative on this November’s ballot. It will instead be voted on during the next statewide election.
For more details on all of the ballot states, join me and several other members of NCIA’s State Regulations Committee for a Ballot Initiative Webinar today at 12:30 MT or catch the recording later.
Other Notable Cannabis Business & Advocacy News
Jersey City, New Jersey officials are hosting a clinic to help expunge marijuana and other convictions on October 15.
California passed a slew of cannabis bills, 13 since August, including new laws for cross-state commerce and expanded delivery.
The Last Prisoner Project is teaming up with Students for Sensible Drug Policy on the “Keep Your Promise” campaign. The plan is to pressure President Biden to deliver on his campaign promises to decriminalize cannabis federally and grant clemency to federal cannabis prisoners through a series of “peaceful demonstrations and a mass day of action” in Washington, D.C. on October 24.